The Last Mac Tíre
by ThorinOakensheildLives2941
Summary: Two strangers become residents of Durant and not everything is as meets the eye.
1. Prologo

Prologue:

The Irish word for wolf is Mac Tíre, literally meaning 'Son of the Country(side)', what most don't know is that 'Mac Tíre' was the family name of a shapeshifting bloodline, specifically from man to wolf. In Irish folktales lycanthropy was a reoccurring theme, in The Morrígan and Cú Chulainn's battle it was said that she took on the form of a red-furred wolf. That is who I am Morrígan Mac Tíre, the last wolf shifter and this is the story of a wolf moving to cowboy country.


	2. Chapter 1: Middle-of-Nowhere, WY

Chapter 1: Middle-of-Nowhere, Wyoming

Picturesque mountains, vast grassy plains, cerulean blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds the weather mild with dry air. Normally Morrígan would find peace and contentment from such a natural environment, making the short 45 minute drive tolerable, even pleasant. Instead she was both irritated and jetlagged, thusly named 'the irritant' was her passenger and best friend Aiko Kitsune, an English speaking fox-shifter originally from Japan, who -with her seemingly endless well of energy- sang off-key to a static filled radio station currently playing a country song Aiko didn't even know the words to. The jetlagged-ness could be put squarely at the feet of the eternally long and boring flight -first from Dublin, Ireland to New York, USA where they caught a connection straight to Casper, Wyoming- that the two shifters had just a half-hour ago disembarked from.

The reason for this, to most, pointless journey to the Middle-of-Nowhere was due to the fact that, well both she and Aiko had nowhere else to go, no home, no family, and the only friends being each other. So they traveled, country to country living a few years in each and occasionally visiting their roots between a change in scenery –Ireland for Morrígan and Japan for Aiko. To choose a new destination, they'd first throw a dart at a spinning globe to choose a country then, using a blown-up map of said country -in this case the good ol' USA- throw a dart to choose a state and so-on-and-so-forth until it resulted in a town or city to head towards.

The two had repeated this ritual five times, spending two years in each new vista learning languages, culture, etc. and touching base with the shifting population if one was nearby, making it ten years since they had started traveling –Morrígan at 15 and Aiko at 14- looking and hoping for somewhere that felt like home.

Their newest destination on this self-appointed quest was a cozy little town with ties to a Cheyenne reservation called Durant, located in Absaroka County, WY.

Just as the God-forsaken racket caused by Aiko threatened to deprive Morrígan of the vestiges of her sanity, she spotted the green "Welcome To Durant" sign that signified the town limit. Turning down the volume dial of their shared 2009 Ford Edge Sport and ignoring her friend's protest besides a relieved "We're here", Morrígan focused on spotting the turn off that was approx. 1 mile outside the town proper.

They were staying in a ranch house with an elk-shifter they'd met in Toronto, Canada and hit it off with, she was a half-Cheyenne living in a forested area outside the reservation named ironically enough, Lillian "Lilly" Swift Elk, having taken her mother's name.

"So," Aiko began suddenly after Morrígan, or Morgan as most called her, had navigated them to the dirt drive leading to Lilly's cabin under the boughs of pine and cottonwood. ",just how much space should I be expecting, because even though we each own few material possessions I still appreciate enough space to sleep without having to lay on someone else, namely you."

Morgan with her eyes still locked on the drive in front of them answered in a mild matter-a-fact tone, because even though she had a great capacity for emotion –presently impatience for an energetic fox who'd asked this very same question numerous times- she did not tend to show said emotions outwardly. "After I called about staying there she sent me pictures, it's about two stories containing four bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, study, and living room. It's nice, she inherited it when her parents died a couple of years ago, apparently her family on her father's side had an agreement with ranchers that allowed grazing on their land back when it was just a patch of grassy plain. Made a fortune, mainly due to the fact that the land was situated in a valley that connected the rancher's grazing route and they were perfectly willing to shoot trespassers… and I'm rambling."

"That is A-Okay Okami-chan! Americans Say A-Okay right? If not I shall make it so! Anyway," She continued with a dismissive gesture. ", I know history is one of you passions and I've had a decade to get used to it, most of it spent within a few yards of each other. Kami knows you've put up with my motor mouth, do you remember that one guy at uni that…"

And off she went, scarcely breathing during her now familiar chatter; it provided a comforting background to Morgan's thoughts as she mused on her long-time friendship with the excitable fox. Glancing to the passenger seat, taking in the tall –for Japan- 5'6 slender frame, porcelain skin, naturally snow white hair –the red highlights however were dye, "To match you." She'd said, referring to my own nearly crimson hair- and the sparkling almond-shaped mahogany eyes. Aiko was an oddity to say the least, drawing attention everywhere we went, let's just say that between the at times obnoxious personality and conspicuous appearance, younger Morgan who preferred –still does, in fact- anonymity, was not overly taken with the idea of having a little kitsune tag-along.

But that lil' fox grew on her and there they were 10 years later driving in a shared car and taking comfort in that which she had at first found irritation in the middle of yet another foreign land.

The sight of a large log cabin broke Morgan from her thoughts and caused Aiko to pause her endless tangent to take in the sight of their new home for the near-future. The building was made out of what appeared to be pine timber, the bark being the outer décor rather than paint, a porch and railing wrapped around all sides containing four sets of three steps, one on each side and evergreen colored shutters on large-paned windows to match an evergreen door.

As their slate grey Ford pulled in next to Lilly's green-blue Jeep Wrangler, Lilly herself stepped down from the porch where she'd been awaiting their arrival on an attached swing. Lilly was, by most, considered quite the catch -tall with respectable curves, long soft black hair, clear copper skin and soulful brown eyes- the fact that she had a likable personality and came from a wealthy family only added to her charm.

"Aiko! Morgan! It's been too long, four years I believe, I so glad you guys decided to stay with me. I've gotten lonely out here on my own and the fact you're fellow shifters only makes me happier." Lilly greeted us, a cheek-splitting grin stretched across her face, eyes shining with joy. When they'd exited the car she pulled both into a tight hug, Aiko responding with a matching enthusiasm and Morgan with uncertainty –unused to physical contact with anyone other than Aiko and the occasional one-night stand- before pulling back to lead into the house.

"I've already prepared rooms for both of you," Lilly spoke as she opened the front door and walk through a spacious living room and up a set of steps. "Morgan your room is right here" She directed, pointing to a door on the right just passed the top of the stairs, ", and Aiko here" indicating one just across the hall from Morgan's. " I'll leave the two of you to unpack and freshen-up, then at about, say 6:00 pm I'll show you a good place to eat, drink, relax, etc." With that Lilly walked off to another part of the house.

Sharing a look the duo silently agreed that although they'd rather not, it was best to bring in their bags before the requisite shower and nap, so soldiering on through their exhaustion –which had thankfully finally caught up with the perpetually hyper fox- retraced their steps out of the house and back to their car. It did not take long to ferry the two duffels and few boxes they jointly owned into the house and found their way to the rooms of their respective owners.

They were now officially residents of, as Morgan fondly called it, the Middle-of-Nowhere, WY. The paperwork had been signed, car shipped in advance to meet them at the airport, and dwelling with belongings secured, all that was left was mingling with the native Duranteans.


End file.
